Hatchway



.TJ e e h S .W nu Dv h S 2 H.. M A TLW WH G .T 0A .H D.. m. d 0 M 0 mNo. 410,950. Patented Sept. 10, 1889. [Zyl -------ahuwiw WIT/VESSES:

ATTUHNEY (No Model.) `2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. O. WIRTH.

. HATGHWAY.

Da-410,950. Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

N. vs -rens. Pham-u hhhhhhhhhhhhh mg: nnnnn c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FEICE.

PHILIP O. VVIRTH, OF HOBOKEN, NEV JERSEY.

HATC HWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,950, datedSeptember 10, 1889.

I Application filed December 6, 1888. Serial No. 292,832. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP O. WIRTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey,have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Opening andClosing I-Iatchways or Air-Shafts, 0f which the following is aspecification. n

This invention relates tohatchways or airshafts for buildings, and hasfor itsobject to provide novel means for transversely closing the sameat the iioors or landings.

The invention consists in the' features of construction and combinationof devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional sideelevation showing a shaft open. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1,showing a shaft closed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a shaft. Fig. 4. is asectional side elevation of a modication. Fig. 5 is a sectionalong theline x Fig. 4..

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A indicates a shaft in a building---such asa store-house,'

warehouse, hotel, or other structure-and B the floors. In the shaft A,which may be an air, light, or hoist shaft, are arranged guideways C,which extend in a curved or similar path transversely across the shaft,and constitute supports and guides for flexible doors,'each of whichcomprises a series of flexibly-connected shutters D. The shutters D areshown as being'composed of plates joined by pivots or hinges E, so thatsaid shutters are ilexible and can readily bend or adapt themselves tothe curved parts of the guideways C. In Figs. 1 and 4. theA shutters Dare held in open position by their tongues or projections F engaging thedetents or latches G. In Fig. 1 springs I-I are shown tending to holdeach of the detents in the position shown in Fig. 1. To the detents Gare connected bell-crank levers I J. Rods K connect with the bell-cranklevers. The handles L are connected to the rock-shafts M, and thebell-crank levers I J are also connected to said rock-shafts. When oneof the handles L is turned so as to move the rod K in the direction ofthe arrow, Fig. l, then the latches G are withdrawn from the shutters D,and said shutters close the shaft, as seen in Fig. 2. The rod Kcommunicates motion from one bell-crank I J to another, so that all theshaft A, and motion from one rod K is communicated through therock-shaft Q,'with its bevel-gears R, to the other rod K. As theactuation of a handle L will cause the actuation of the rod or rods K,the actuation of a 11andle L can be made to cause all the latches G tolrelease all the shutters D throughout the entire shaft A. The shaft canthus be effectively and rapidly closed when desired-as, for example, inthe case of fire or epidemic, when it is desired to prevent aircirculating or passing alongthe sha-ft A. Cords O, passing over pulleysP and connected to the shutters D, are shown as placed in the shaft, andsaid cords can be usedV to draw the shutters D from their closingposition (shown in Fig. 2) and restore v them to their open position.(Shown-in Fig. 1.)

In the modification shown by Figs. 4. and 5 the rod K is locatedcentrally in the air-shaft and connects with bell-crank levers I J thatare -on shafts M', extending transversely through the air-shaft Vandhaving handles L', and each bell-crank lever I J connects with the'twoopposite detents or latches G G. By this means the said opposite latchescan be simultaneously operated by one shaft M and one rod K.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a shaft A, a guideway extending in a directionacross the shaft, and shutters adapted to travel. in said guideway totransversely close the shaft, of detents G, adapted to. engagesaidshutters, and a rod or connection K, connected to said detents, said rodor connection being adapted to release said detents, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination, with a shaft A, a gnideway extendingin a directionacross the shaft, and shutters adapted to travel in said guideway totransversely close the shaft, of detents G, adapted to engage saidshutters, and rods or connections K, located at opposite sides of theshaft and connected to said detents and to one another, said rods orconnections being adapted to release said detents, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination, with a shaft A, a guideway extending in a directionacross the shaft, and shutters adapted to travel in said guideway totransversely close the shaft, of detents G, adapted to engage saidshutters, a rod or connection K, connected to said detcnt, and a handleL, connected to said rod, substantially as set forth.

et. The combination, with a shaft IA, a guide- Way extendingin adirection across the shaft, and shutters adapted to travel in saidgnideway to transversely close the shaft, of dctents G, adapted toengage said shutter, a rod or connection K, adapted to release saiddctents,

actuating-handles L for said rod K, and a rock-shaft M,1nade to connectsaid handles L, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a shaft: A, a guide- Way extending in adirection across the shaft, and shutters adapted to travel in saidguideway to transversely close the shaft, of detents G, adapted toengage 'said shutters, a rod or connection K, adapted to release saiddetents, and stops N for said shutters, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a shaft A, a guiden'ay extending; in adirection across the shaft, and shutters adapted to travel in saidguideway to transversely close the shaft, of detents G, adapted toengage said shutters, a rod or connections K, adapted to release saiddetents, and restoring-cords O, connected to said shutters,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in thepresence of two subscribing,r witnesses.

'PHILIP o. Win'rn. n.. s]

lVitviiesscs:

\\". C. IIAUFF, E. F. KAs'rnNI-IUBER,

